The Alphabet 2006, J-N

J is for Juice

Taken 12/2/2006 in Smith River, California.  

Nikon Coolpix L3.  ISO 50, f /3.2, 1/60 second)

J was my only real problem child in putting together this alphabet book.  I considered Jicama, Jaguar, and Jewelry, shot Jalapeños and Jeeps, and woke up in the middle of the night saying "Jack."  Jack is my Jack LaLanne Juicer, and here he's making my favorite morning concoction--Apple (from the trees in the back yard), Carrot and Ginger Juice.  (And you thought X would be a problem.)

K is for Kelp

Taken 11/29/2006 at Pistol River, Oregon, 

Nikon Coolpix L3, ISO 50, f /5.3, 1/60 second

Kelp is the most common form of sea vegetation washing up on the beaches of California and Oregon.  It is a form of brown algae, and the ashes produced when kelp is burned give us iodine.  These photos were taken at the mouth of the Pistol River, Oregon, on a hidden beach near Klamath, California, and on Harris Beach, Brookings, Oregon.

Taken 7/17/2006 near Klamath, California with a Pentax SLR film camera

Taken 12/1/2006 on Harris Beach, Brookings, Oregon

Nikon Coolpix L3,  ISO 50, f /5.3, 1/50 second

L is for Lemons

Taken 11/30/2006 in Crescent City, California, 

Nikon Coolpix L3. ISO 50, f /4.6, 1/30 second

While looking at the jalapeños (hay is for jalapeño) in Ray's Market, Crescent City, California, I shot these lovely lemons as well.  And as we all know, when life hands you a bunch of lemons, you should make lemonade.

M is for Manzanita

Taken 10/26/2006 along the GO Road, Del Norte, County, California

Nikon Coolpix L3, ISO 50, f /4.9, 1/160 second

A member of the heath family, manzanita grows as a dense ground-covering shrub throughout the mountainous regions of northern California and southern Oregon.  It is quite distinctive, with its bright red bark and equally bright green leaves.  It is the plant I think of when I hear the term "chaparral," although technically speaking, chaparral refers to oak.

N is for Necklace

Taken 12/4/2006 in Smith River, California

Nikon Coolpix L3, ISO 50, f /3.4, 1/60 second

In 1965, thanks to Heifer Project, International, my father and I boarded the SS President Lincoln in San Francisco, arriving in Yokohama 13 days later.  Aboard ship we played cowboy to 25 bred Holstein heifers, themselves bound for the pioneer farmers in Hokkaido.  One of the gifts Father brought back to Mother was this 3-strand necklace of cultured pearls.